Chronicle-Independent

06/10/2026

C-I PRIMARY UPDATE #4: Voter turnout heavy in state, county; reminder about runoffs

Statewide, the combined early voting and Primary Day turnout came to just little more than 25%. Kershaw County experienced a slightly higher percentage, according to local officials, at 26%.

With more than 3.83 million registered voters in South Carolina, there were more than 850,000 ballots cast across the early voting period and Primary Day election. The highest turnouts, based on population size, took place in Hampton County (38%) Fairfield County (37%), Williamsburg County (36%), McCormick County (35%), and Calhoun County (33%). Dillon and Chesterfield counties had the lowest turnout, with 19% and 18%, respectively.

In Kershaw County, there are 41,894 voters. During the primary voting, combining early voting with Tuesday's voting, there were 12,091 votes cast. Precinct turnout data ranged between 21% and 38%. The biggest turnout by percentage was in Charlotte Thompson, where 38% of the precinct's 536 registered voters cast ballots. the smallest turnout was in Cassatt, where 302 ballots were cast in a precinct with 1,428 registered voters. Strictly by the numbers, the most ballots were cast in Elgin No. 1 (689); the least in the combined Camden No. 2&3 precinct (99).

The S.C. Election Commission reported that the early voting period ahead of Tuesday's primary was "record-breaking," with more than 318,600 people voting early this year, compared to 120,178 in 2024 and 100,450 in 2022.

In Kershaw County, Voter Registration Director Meiko Reddick said the county broke a record for the entire voting period, including Tuesday's visit to the polls. Reddick said Kershaw County experienced a 26% turnout, versus 24% in 2022.

Reddick also wanted to remind voters that those wishing to vote in any of the June 23 runoff elections must do so for the same party in whose primary they voted in on Tuesday. In addition, Reddick said that even if someone did not vote in the primary at all, they can still vote in one of the runoff elections but must choose which party's runoff to vote in. That should not be a problem for voters this year, as all three of the known runoffs are for Republican nominations.

06/10/2026

C-I PRIMARY UPDATE #3: Statewide results lead to run-off for GOP nomination for governor

Poll workers across the state worked late into the early morning hours today (Wednesday, June 10) tabulating votes in statewide and other multi-county races.

Those who voted in the Republican Primary will be asked to return to the polls in two weeks (June 23) to choose between that party's top two nominees. Out of the total seven candidates in the primary, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson. Evette and Wilson earned 29% and 26%, respectively, of the total 472,588 ballots cast statewide in the GOP primary. The runoff is necessary since neither candidate earned more than 50% of the vote. In Kershaw County, Evette received 30% of the vote, while Wilson earned 27%. Of note to state and national poll watchers was the fact that South Carolina U.S. District 1 Rep. Nancy Mace came in third-to-last with 12% of the vote, only beating Joshua Kimbrell and a decertified candidate, Jacqueline Hicks DuBose, who still received 47 votes from across the state.

Whoever wins the Republican runoff will face current S.C. House District 52 Rep. Jermaine Johnson, who won a large majority of votes in the Democratic Primary. Johnson won 60% of the votes cast statewide, defeating challengers Billy Webster (30%) and Mullins McLeod (11%). Statewide, 371,728 votes were cast in the Democratic Primary for governor. In Kershaw County, Johnson received 59% of the 5,383 votes cast here.

In other statewide races:
* Jason Belton narrowly won the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State, defeating Edwina Winter, 51% to 49%. Belton will face incumbent Republican S.C. Secretary of State Mark Hammond in November. In Kershaw County, Belton won 54% of the 5,177 votes cast versus Winter's 46%.

* Vincent Coe is the Democratic Party's nominee for State Treasurer, defeating Trav Robertson Jr., 56% to 44%, and will face incumbent Republican S.C. State Treasurer Curtis Loftis. In Kershaw County, Coe received 55% of the 5,140 votes cast versus Robertson's 45%.

* In the GOP primary to replace Wilson as attorney general, Stephen Goldfinch and David Stumbo will face off again on June 23 for a runoff after Goldfinch took 40% of the statewide. Stumbo earned 36%, while David Pascoe took 24%. Whoever wins the runoff will face Democratic candidate Richard Hricik, who ran unopposed for that party's nomination. In Kershaw County, Goldfinch got 46% of the 6,155 votes cast, Pascoe earned 29% and Stumbo, 25%.

* Democrat Tiffany Boozer won her party's primary for Comptroller General, defeating Bruce Cole, 74% to 26%. Boozer will face Republican Mike Burkhold in the fall who had no opposition on the GOP side. In Kershaw County, Boozer received 75% of the county's 5,147 votes while Cole only earned 25%.

* Democrat Sylvia Wright won the Democratic nomination for State Superintendent of Education, defeating Lisa Ellis, 61% to 39%. Wright will face incumbent Republican S.C. Superintendent Ellen Weaver in the fall. Wright earned a majority of Kershaw County's 5,183 ballots by the same margin, 61% to 39%, over Ellis.

* For S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture, Republicans Cody Simpson and Danny Ford will meet again in a June 23 runoff. Simpson earned 38% of the vote while Ford received 37%, fending off fellow GOPers Jeremy Cannon and Fred West. The winner of the runoff will face unchallenged Democratic candidate DeShawn Blanding, as well as United Citizens Party's Chris Nelums and Libertarian Michael Sullens. In Kershaw County, Simpson received 38% of the 6,154 ballots cast, with Ford taking 34%.

On the U.S. congressional stage, Democrat Annie Andrews handily defeated two challengers for that party's nomination to go up against Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. Andrews defeated fellow Democrats Brandon Brown and Kyle Freeman, with them earning 62%, 30% and 8%, respectively. Meanwhile, Graham came out ahead in a field of six candidates, earning 57% of the vote over fellow Republicans Calvin Cowen, Thomas Keith Dismukes, Pat Hermann, Mark Lynch (who came in second at 29%), and Darius Mitchell. In Kershaw County, Andrews took 61% of the 5,278 votes cast in the Democratic Primary. Graham earned 66% of the 6,485 ballots.

In our next (and shorter) update, we'll look at voter turnout. For a full wrap up on the primaries, check out next week's print edition of the C-I and our website, www.chronicle-independent.com .

06/10/2026

C-I PRIMARY UPDATE #2: Incumbent Robert Reese wins S.C. House District 70 Democratic nomination with no Republican challenger in November

Incumbent S.C. House District 70 Rep. Robert Reese will likely retain his seat in the Statehouse after defeating two challengers for the Democratic nomination. There is no Republican candidate so, unless there is a successful write-in candidate, Reese will automatically win the election. In those precincts covering District 70, in Kershaw and Richland counties, Reese 2,860 of the total 5,703 ballots cast, for 50% of the vote. Noah Barker earned 1,525 votes (27%) and Kershaw County's Eve Carlin received 1,318 (23%). Carlin won the Kershaw County precincts, but by a fairly narrow margin as the three candidates almost evenly split the vote here. Carlin earned 774 of the 2,267 ballots cast in Kershaw County, followed by Reese with 751 (33%) and Barker with 743 (33%).

Also, the Democratic Primary for S.C. House District 52, which is being vacated by gubernatorial candidate Jermaine Johnson, was won by Malcolm Taylor with 62% of the vote, defeating challengers Lawrence Moore and Patrick Tate. That district includes precincts in Kershaw and Richland counties. There is no Republican candidate, so Taylor should become the new representative.

As of 12:20 a.m. Wednesday, there were 11 precincts left to fully report votes, apparently from York County. The C-I will wait to report further results until later in the morning.

06/10/2026

C-I PRIMARY REPORT: Proctor wins Republican Primary for KCC District 4; Newton wins GOP nod for House District 45

With all votes in the county accounted for, and according to totals available on SCVotes.org, Jonathan Proctor has won the Republican Primary to fill the Kershaw County Council District 4 seat being vacated by Jimmy Jones. Out of the total 1,155 total votes cast for the District 4 seat, Proctor earned 903 votes for 78% of the vote versus Marc Wood's 252 votes (22%). Proctor will have no Democratic contender in November so, barring a successful write-in campaign by another candidate, Proctor will become the newest member of county council either late this year or early in 2027.

Incumbent S.C. District 45 Representative Brandon Newton, a Republican, will face sole Democratic challenger Nicole Ventour after fending off a challenge from Kershaw County Council Vice Chair Russell Brazell. More voters in Lancaster County, where Newton lives, cast ballots than those here in Kershaw County. While Brazell earned 612 of the 929 votes cast in Kershaw County, Newton won 1,984 of the 3,163 votes cast in Lancaster County. Looking at the district-wide totals, out of 4,092 votes cast, Newton won 2,301 (56%) versus 1,791 (44%) for Brazell.

In another multi-county race, S.C. House District 65 Rep. Cody Mitchell fended off a challenge from fellow Republican Barbara Arthur to face sole Democratic challenger Tanisha Baskin in the fall. Mitchell defeated Arthur with 73% of the vote. District 65 includes portions of Kershaw, Chesterfield, Darlington and Lancaster counties.

As of 10 p.m., only 50% of the precincts included in the Democratic Primary for S.C. House District 70 had been reported. The C-I will call that race after the Richland County ballots have been reported. The C-I will do the same after all primary ballots have been counted for statewide offices. We will also have a full report in next week's printed edition and on our website.

06/09/2026

Camden native Bobby Engram might be heading to the College Football Hall of Fame. Get this and all our sports coverage starting on page A7 of today's C-I and on our website.

Camden’s Bobby Engram is among 80 players and nine coaches considered for the 2027 National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame class, recognized for his standout college and NFL careers. Voting is underway by NFF members and current Hall of Famers to select the new inductees.

06/09/2026

The budget for the Kershaw County School District is set for the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. Learn more about it inside today's C-I and on our website.

The Kershaw County School District’s FY 2027 budget accounts for state funding uncertainties but implements an average 3.5% raise for employees including retirees. The board passed the budget amid negotiations over state revenues, projecting a $3.3 million shortfall balanced by local property tax ...

06/09/2026

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. today. Get a preview inside today's C-I and on our website.

Kershaw County Council will hold a meeting featuring first readings of four ordinances by title only, including two related to “Project Gemstone” involving a potential economic development prospect.

06/09/2026

Camden Police Department (CPD) lieutenants present a junior corporal pin to S. Acerra, as his father, A. Acerra, who had just been promoted to sergeant, looks on. Along with the elder Acerra, the other CPD officers promoted during Camden City Council’s June 2 meeting were J. Dover, also to corporal, and J.H. Smith and I. Rodgers to sergeants. In addition, Cpl. Acerra and Sgt. Rodgers were presented with lifesaver awards for identifying and assisting a victim suffering from an overdose by reviving them enough with Narcan for EMS to stabilize the victim. Learn more in today's C-I and on our website.

The city of Camden promoted four police officers and recognized two of them for saving an overdose victim during the City Council meeting on June 2, highlighting their dedication to public safety and leadership roles within the department.

06/09/2026

Remember when we told you about police and deputies converging on the Domino's in Camden's Dusty Bend? We now know it was a shooting incident, that one person has been arrested, three juveniles petitioned, and other suspects being sought. Catch up in today's C-I and on our website.

Law enforcement, including CPD, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, responded to a shooting incident at Domino’s pizza where a Honda crashed into a storage building on June 2. Officers found bullet holes in the vehicle and several rifle shell casi...

06/09/2026

James and Lisa Pue tell Magistrate Judge Ashley N. Berry about their experience of being carjacked as one of two suspects, Anogory Santrell Slater (at far left) listens during a bond hearing on Friday at the Kershaw County Detention Center. Berry denied bond on all but two charges for Slater in a case that has even garnered the attention of the FBI. Read more of what they and a deputy had to say about the case in today's top story from the C-I and our website.

During his bond hearing, Magistrate Judge Ashley Berry denied bond on serious charges against Anogory Santrell Slater, after a deputy cited flight risk and danger to the public. The judge allowed bond only on lesser charges, while victims James and Lisa Pue requested that Slater remain in custody to...